Flu shot can you still get flu

It is still possible—and quite likely—that you will get sick at some point during flu season with some other illness that you might mistake for the flu. Just because you had a flu shot, that does not mean you will not get sick at all.

You might have a similar illness that is caused by a virus other than influenza. The flu shot provides protection against the specific strain of the flu that researchers believe will be causing illnesses that season for most people. Unfortunately, this doesn't provide coverage for all possible influenza strains, and the flu virus mutates and changes every year why new vaccines have to be made and administered each season.

Sometimes, despite their best efforts and educated guesses, researchers and public health officials get it wrong. During flu seasons when the primary strain of influenza that causes illness is not included in the vaccine, many people who get the flu shot will still get the flu. It is still possible to get the flu after having a flu shot, either because you were one of the few people who was not fully protected or because the strain of influenza that made you sick was not included in the vaccine.

Even so, you are less likely to have serious complications from the flu if you have had the shot. This is even more true for older adults and children—the two groups that are at highest risk for serious flu complications.

Flu shots work in slightly different ways for these two groups, but they are still very important. Ultimately, research has shown that a majority of people who are vaccinated against the flu have significantly less severe symptoms and fewer complications when they get sick than those who are unvaccinated.

Anyone over the age of 65 is considered to be in a high risk category and should have a flu vaccine every year the same goes for their caretakers. This is despite the fact that the vaccine is not quite as effective at preventing the flu in this age group.

It can be frustrating to develop a significant respiratory illness the same year you were proactive and got the flu shot. Remember, however, that getting sick does not necessarily mean the vaccine didn't do its job.

And even if you actually do get the flu, that doesn't mean the shot won't work for you in the future. Looking to avoid getting the flu? It causes nerve inflammation and can cause pain, numbness, muscle weakness and difficulty walking. Page last reviewed: 8 November Next review due: 8 November Read our cookies policy to find out more about our cookies and how we use them. Home Screening and vaccinations Flu vaccine Back to Flu vaccine. Getting the flu vaccine Contents.

Where to get the flu vaccine You can get a flu vaccine from your GP surgery or pharmacist. Carers Free flu vaccines will be offered to carers or household contacts of people who have: have an underlying chronic health condition as listed above Down syndrome A carer is someone who provides an ongoing, significant level of care to someone who is in need of care in the home due to illness, disability or frailty.

But if you do get the flu, there are FDA-approved antiviral drugs, available by prescription, to treat your illness. These drugs work best if started soon after the onset of symptoms within 48 hours. Following that process, the FDA convenes its vaccines advisory committee, consisting of outside experts, to discuss the WHO recommendations and to consider which flu viruses are expected to circulate in the U.

The committee also reviews data about which flu viruses have caused illnesses in the past year, how the viruses are changing, and disease trends for the U. The FDA takes that information into account before it selects the virus strains for FDA-licensed manufacturers to include in their vaccines for use in the U.

The closer the match between the virus strains chosen for the vaccine and the circulating strains causing disease during flu season, the better the protection that the flu vaccine provides.

Although the vaccine and viruses may not be an exact match in some years, that does not mean the vaccine is not benefiting people. Available data show that the vaccine can reduce the severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick.

To ensure that the flu vaccine is safe, effective, and of high quality, the FDA prepares and provides reagents materials to standardize vaccines to manufacturers that they need to make their vaccine and to verify its identity and potency. Additional efforts are in place to monitor vaccine safety.

The FDA partners with private organizations that collect health care data such as health insurance companies and other federal agencies such as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Veterans Health Administration and CDC to further evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the influenza vaccines and other vaccines that the FDA has approved or authorized for emergency use.

The flu vaccine can also be delivered by an injection that's usually given in a muscle in the arm. If you're an adult under 65, you may also choose an in-the-skin intradermal vaccine, or you may prefer to have your vaccine delivered using a jet injector device, which uses a high-pressure, narrow stream of fluid to penetrate the skin instead of a needle.

The flu vaccine can't give you the flu. But you might develop flu-like symptoms — despite getting a flu vaccine — for a variety of reasons, including:. How well the flu vaccine works to protect you from the flu can vary. The flu vaccine is generally more effective among people under 65 years old. Some older people and people with certain medical conditions may develop less immunity after receiving a flu shot.

The vaccine may sometimes be less effective. Even when the vaccine doesn't completely prevent the flu, it may lessen the severity of your illness, and reduce the risk of serious complications and serious illness requiring hospitalization. However, it's especially important to get the flu vaccine this season because the flu and coronavirus disease COVID cause similar symptoms.

Preventing the flu and reducing the severity of flu illness and hospitalizations could also decrease the number of people needing to stay in the hospital. The flu vaccine is your best defense against the flu, but there are additional steps you can take to help protect yourself from the flu and other viruses, including COVID These steps include the following:.

If you become sick with the flu, you can also help prevent the spread of the flu by staying home and away from others. Continue staying home until your fever has been gone for at least 24 hours. Your local health department and the CDC may suggest other precautions to reduce your risk of COVID or the flu if you haven't been fully vaccinated. For example, you may need to practice social distancing physical distancing and stay at least 6 feet 2 meters from others outside your household.

You may also need to wear a cloth face mask when around people outside your household when indoors and when outdoors in crowded areas. If you're fully vaccinated and are in an area with a high number of new COVID cases in the last week, the CDC also recommends wearing a mask indoors in public and outdoors in crowded areas or when you're in close contact with unvaccinated people.

Getting your flu vaccine can reduce your risk of the flu and its complications, and following these precautions can help protect you from the flu or other respiratory illnesses. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Sign up for free, and stay up-to-date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID, plus expert advice on managing your health.

Error Email field is required. Error Include a valid email address. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information and to understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your e-mail and website usage information with other information we have about you.

If we combine this information with your PHI, we will treat all of that information as PHI, and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices.